What High Noon’s Recall Can Teach Us About Quality Assurance

Fellman notes she doesn’t have in-depth knowledge of High Noon’s operation or automation setup, but says, “what seems most likely is that either incoming product inspection, accuracy of packaging, or possibly in-line filling accountability was missing.”

Inspection systems and other automated technologies could provide value in circumstances like this, Fellman says, but only if they are planned and implemented within the framework of responsibility she described.

Since a mutual packaging supplier was reportedly the source of the mismatched cans, Fellman has a few tips for food and beverage producers on supplier partnerships.

When searching for a new vendor, brands need to conduct due diligence to choose a reliable partner. Fellman says that could include, but is not limited to, “inspecting vendors’ facilities, determining whether the vendor has appropriate processes and certifications, and talking with similar (but non-competing) customers to learn from their experience.”

Due diligence doesn’t stop at that first handshake either. For added insurance, brands should repeatedly check in with vendors, “because there could be ownership, management, process, or other vendor changes,” Fellman says.

Further, Fellman says it’s best to be as specific as possible during contracts or purchase orders, clearly defining required specifications and including significant penalties if they aren’t met.

Multiple checks for zero surprises

Due diligence extends to operations within a food or beverage producer’s facility as well, according to Fabiola Negron, Director of Food Safety for Registrar Corp, an FDA compliance company.Consumers can identify affected High Noon packs by the lot code on the carton.High Noon

“It is strange that this issue wasn’t caught,” says Negron. “We must acknowledge that beverage processing is very fast paced, so periodic checks can happen after thousands of cans have already passed through the line. So, more frequent checks may be needed to catch this type of mistake.”

Negron suggests companies should implement several quality checkpoints at different stages in a facility’s operation to verify everything is as expected.

Those checks should start when packaging is received at a facility. “Random checks of those received batches should be conducted to ensure the correct materials were received,” says Negron.

A second check should happen when packaging is placed on the line for filling, ensuring the correct packaging material and labeling is used for the product currently running on the line, she adds. This check should happen whenever a new box or batch of packaging is placed on the line.

Someone should also periodically verify that nothing is out of order mid-process or after filling as well, “in a representative number of samples to ensure product seal, conduct quality testing, et cetera,” says Negron.

Combining technology and oversight for quality assurance

A mix of technology and human oversight could be the strongest solution to avoid recalls like High Noon’s, according to Bryan Quoc Le, Founder and Principal Food Consultant at Mendocino Food Consulting.

“Inspection systems can catch mistakes consistently, but human oversight ensures judgement in unusual situations,” Le says. “The best approach combines both, which creates multiple layers of protection.”

A company might spend significant time and resources developing packaging to protect a product, but it’s not foolproof if quality assurance errors occur during operations. “Brands and suppliers should maintain strict quality checks and only work with partners who meet rigorous safety standards. Without these, even the best packaging can’t guarantee product safety,” says Le.

Forming the right partnerships and working together across the supply chain is a key step to avoiding quality errors, Le adds. “This is a reminder that safety is a shared responsibility from production to packaging to logistics and even retailing. Strong partnerships and constant vigilance are necessary to ensure safety and avoid costly errors.”